THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY
Extended and fully upgraded, an 80s split-level villa in Stow gets a new lease of life Like the vast majority of house buyers, Zoe Anderson bought her present home in the village of Stow because ‘it felt right’. “In fact as soon as I saw the thumbnail picture on the website I just knew I would live there,” she recalls. “Viewing the house - in the worst possible weather conditions - merely confirmed I had to have it.” That was four years ago and in the interim Zoe has transformed the early 1980s split-level villa, having added an extra storey, changed the existing layout, and refurbished the entire property, including rewiring, new central heating, windows and landscaping. “It’s a very different house nowadays,” says Zoe. “The modernised interior is now bigger and better but still retains the things I fell in love with initially about the house – great room proportions, high ceilings, and lots of natural light.” Located at the end of a small private slip road off Haypark Loan, Southwynd is a gem of a house with a particularly userfriendly three-storey layout and secluded mature gardens that make the most of the elevated setting and stunning views. There’s also a raised timber deck and a south-facing balcony accessed via sliding doors in the living room. Last but not least, the property includes a large driveway with ample parking space and a detached double garage. The ground (middle) level accommodation includes a large and very impressive entrance hall with light coloured hardwood flooring and a beautiful split-level central staircase.
Continuing, there’s a cloakroom, 22ft living room with wood flooring and windows on three sides, an adjoining dining room, games room/fifth bedroom, large contemporary kitchen with central island unit/dining table, and utility.
If applicable, there’s an opportunity to buy an additional acre or thereabouts of garden land (currently an established orchard and vegetable plot) to the south of the house, which would effectively treble the current size of the garden.
Up a level off a large landing lit by both picture windows and Velux windows is a 16ft main bedroom and a large bathroom (12ft long) with a double-ended bath and separate shower. Stairs down from the hall provide access to the remaining three bedrooms, one of which has another large en suite bathroom with separate shower, and family bathroom.
Aside from being an outstanding family house, Southwynd’s location in the village of Stow, close to the A7, is ideal for commuting to Edinburgh (25 miles).
The contemporary kitchen is fitted with neutral wall and floor units, contrasting worktops, tiled splashbacks and a full range of appliances – built-in oven and hob, microwave, integrated dishwasher and fridge freezer – the island unit has drawer storage and is designed for casual dining with bar stools. Outside, the gardens are also a major feature, with mature trees, plants and shrubs planted to provide year-round colour and interest.There are also lawns, a sheltered patio area, summerhouse and shed, while a historic village church on one side, illuminated at night, provides an altogether different visual attraction.
Like many of the village’s residents, Zoe works in Edinburgh and can do the journey, door-to-door in around 45 minutes. For shopping and other facilities, Galashiels is only a 10-minute drive. Making it even more commuter-friendly, the village has a half-hourly bus service to Edinburgh and is in line for a railway station as part of the new Waverley rail link to the Borders.
Southwynd Church Wynd, Stow Guide Price £400,000 Details on page 10
Page 9